The Top 20 Isekai of ALL TIME 

I hope this becomes a continuous thing and you do it for more genres too.

Grimgar is criminally underrated. The actual beauty of realism living in fantasy world, how bond growth not because of anime tropes, and the weight of decision fighting for your life and your friend life.

Fun fact about _The Vision of Escaflowne_ - if the end of the series seems rushed, it's because they found out ahead of time that 10 episodes were cut from the original order, and made absolutely damn certain they reached the end of the story instead of being unable to complete it.

I respect this list. The writer knew their shit, they definitely had their personal taste affected the list, but still you can see that the writer had passion on the genre.

Re:zero and mushoku tensei are two anime that amazes me with the amount of love and care put into the show. I really love the attention to detail in both and how both shows find ways to add more to the story and world building either using op and ed runtime or extending ep duration. No other isekai have managed to immerse me this much in the world and characters as much as these two. The animation, the soundtrack and the VA are all top tier. Two of my favorite anime in general, not just isekai. Imo they deserve the top spots.

I did not expect Sonny Boy to be categorized as isekai, but thinking about it, I guess it kind of is. It's in a league of its own, and is my top comfort show to fall back on.

I rewatched Sonny Boy, and the second watch was even better than the first. I caught easter eggs and hints, but I also understood the message more. I could appreciate it so much more. It is genuinely within my top 5 favorite anime of all time because of the emotional impact it left.

13:30 iruma kun such a wholesome series, i really enjoyed it. Honestly it deserves a place, it has good and interesting characters with there own problems and a way to solve them.

Mushoku tensei and Re:zero are the best two isekai's of all time.I don't think they should be compared with each other.They're both masterpieces and have mastered different themes of their genre. MT is the perfect example of an isekai,what it should be.Rudeus gets a new life to be a better version of himself and to become a better human being. In the process he faces the trauma from his previous life,but faces it to overcome his weakness. Re:zero on the other hand is the perfect deconstruction of an isekai anime How getting a new life can not only be a bliss but also a curse. Subaru can't die beacause of his power given in the new world. But because of this he has to see his dear ones suffer again and again.He blames himself for his actions. He accepts himself and moves forward to be with those who are precious to him. Becoming a better human being is Rudeus's and self acceptance is Subaru's journey and I am here for both of them.Also these series have one of the best side cast in all anime.characters are very human and faulty(specially Rudeus,Subaru and paul) and that’s what love about these anime.The two of them can also make a grown man cry. MT and Re:zero have one of the most heartbreaking arcs in anime.They can make you cry like baby.That's why I absolutely love their writing and story telling. This is also the proof why they are one of the highest rated light novels in MAL.For me both are equally good as each other.That's why I think they shouldn't be compared with each other and they are the only isekai anime worthy of the title"MASTERPIECE"❤

"The masterpiece that you missed" Is going to be your video, gigguk. You will be the one making it.

As someone who enjoys parodies I think Isekai Ojisan and Eminence deserve to be on this list

The beauty of grimgar and it's world is that it's not a "gamer" isekai world... it's more akin to DnD and classic RPGs and as someone who loves old school RPGs it's just the right isekai for me...shame it never got a s2 Also grimgar at 27? Hell nah

Grimgar is my favorite isekai of all time. It's so good, the watercolor background is beautiful. It feels like an accurate depiction of what would really happen if you got transported to another world and I love it. If you haven't watched it give it a go

Speaking of Re;Zero, Garnt's opinion on it is actually similar to Konosuba for me. It started of with unexpected funny things happening but as the series progressed, I became emotionally invested in it (I mean seriously, there's an actual lore behind Megumin's explosion and why she's capable of using it despite being a human). Man, these two shows really can't be separated from each others, huh? Even though the thing that connected the two are just author being friends, Rieri in both shows as prominent heroine and the main characters wear tracksuits. It's really thin lmao but whenever one gets an adaptation, the other will usually follows. It's weirdly funny and hard to say if it's just a coincidence considering now we also get a new adaptation of Re;Zero not long after Konosuba's AGAIN

Grimgar is top 3 for me, so realistic, so beautiful, hit so close that it got to be one of my favorite series of all time! Grimgar deserve a lot more attention than is given, is so underrrated

It’s refreshing to see a list “critique” of an actual good list. I got a lot of potential watches out of this one.

I recently just started watching Re:Zero, now have only two more episodes to go and I gotta say there wasn't a single episode I didn't enjoy. There were tough moments, for sure, we all know which moment especially (seriously, Subaru almost made me quit right there lol)... but it's just so good. So many things this show does that other isekais just don't do. No 5 seasons of protag and love interest dancing around each other without ever commiting to more than a glance and heck, I've never before seen an Isekai protag break down because of the realisation that they're never going to see their parents/family again. Actual banger of a show. And it has one of the best "best girls" as well, it's just always a toss up which one of the two it is. I get both camps, but I'm fairly sure in the end camp Patrasche wins over camp Otto.

Mairimashita iruma-kun is the kind of isekai that make you forgot that it one , the world building and the comedy are so good that each season you want to know more about the world and it character. The author is clearly taking it time to develop theirs character and world while enjoying what he does , it’s not your average edgy cool world like other isekai but you really get attached to it and it becomes somehow realistic

Re:Zero is just my favorite anime. The psychological approach and the pain it puts the mc and you through while watching it is impressive as hell and it’s a masterpiece.

I might be new to anime(started watching them in 2015) but im really happy that I finally heard someone compliment sao. Im mentioning this since its basically the first anime i have ever watched(other than mezinger z or knights of the zodiac) and Im really quite happy that people are actually somehow enjoying it!

Yoko Kanno created the most beautiful soundtracks I have ever heard, she holds a place close to my heart. I can only feel sad and regret that she stopped releasing such wonderful melodies to the world.

Kyou Kara Maoh was probably my first isekai anime. I remember loving this show when i was in elementary. It spanned up to 3 seasons i think and was on the side of having a lot more ep than the common 12ep per season we have these days. Also probably one of the older anime's that introduced me unwittingly to m|m pairing with yuri being engaged to wolfram and them adopting a daughter together.

To me at least, what typically constitutes an anime count as an isekai, is when the character is transported/moved/truck-kun'ed into or to a world that is wholely & entirely different from his or her own. So animated series like "Paripi Kōmei" and "Hataraku Maō-sama", while the setting represents our world, for characters like Sadou Mou and Zhuge Liang, our earth is wholly alien to them. Hence why both of their animated series could be properly considered isekai's.

I feel like Inuyasha could really use a Kai treatment, being remade with a lot of the pacing issues of the era fixed and the story cleaned up and streamline. Maybe I'm just biased since it was really the first anime I ever got into but it is a fun story. Definitely too high on this list but glad to see it mentioned

my top 3 is rezero, mushoku tensei and slime. It is so good in terms of anime adaptation, made me super hyped for upcoming seasons. The fact that I read all the light/web novel of all three of them, it made me hyped even more. Made me appreciate even more the workforce adapting the novels.

Re: SAO. I've been reading the novels the past year via the yen press audiobooks, and have to say that while the execution is often lacking, Reki Kawahara has some strong thematic throughlines in most arcs. At the very least within the arcs, there's proper build-up and foreshadowing. Some stuff was handled so well I was shocked by how flat the same stuff fell in the anime, even. The author has little to no idea about the science of his fiction, handwaves far too much, but when it comes to the trauma and personal drama, the books hit more often than they don't. The problem with the anime generally comes down to the lack of internal monologues, in my opinion. Phantom Bullet in particular messed up hard by cutting Sinon's inner demons and self-justifications, and Kirito's PTSD-headspace. A ton of my problems with SAO from when it originally aired were softened by reading the source material. I expected it to be badly put-together shlock, but ended up finding it rather compelling for the most part. It just comes apart under the science angles and the harem - although I feel like the anime pronounced those harem aspects far more than the novels ever did past volume 2. For all intents, it's just a female-skewing group of friends where nobody honestly pursues Kirito anymore. In other words: They got over the harem, while the anime (and video games) tend to keep things less settled.

If reverse isekai is considered as normal isekai, then yumekui merry (Dreameater Merry should've been in here as well. Although the anime might've been a bit fast and unfortunately only had 1 season, the character designs and the whole the plot was a very interesting one and knowing it only had 1 season, there nearly wasn't enough space to explore the whole story.

log horizon has the best world building it feels so expansive with so many paralell stories and then megumi nis just so cheerful and funny, these two are my fav for now

I loved Kyo Kara Maoh! back in the day. Been a while since I thought about that show, I feel like I could rewatch it now and enjoy it again. Technically also has reverse isekai elements as well! I believe it was completed more or less after 3 seasons (over 100 episodes!) as well.

KonoSuba, Mushoku and ReZero all great shows in their own right with unique styles, 12 kingdoms is underrated but definitely an interesting OG show (the ending is abrupt though), would recommend these 4. The rest are skippable but some like Overlord or Eminence in Shadow are still fun shows just not nearly as good.

Digimon Adventure genuinely holds up, especially the OG japanese version. It has such great characters and writing, as well as an amazing soundtrack

I've been playing here, and there since it came out and really got into it after edge runners. I haven't played it in a couple of months, but now that this is out, that's definitely going to change.

I would totally recommend more isekai, i would additional also talk about tanya, grimgar and the devil is a part timer (only season 1) as well, all of those are pretty great and enjoyable anime. I also am very much much wondering about seeing it as compliment for rezero and mushouko called mid, just because they are isekai, both are absolutly high tier shows and i would see them in my top 20 at least. Both have amazing character and worldbuilding as well as outsanding animation and sound design. I do understand to say i want to see more to say the story is amazing, but we allready got great hints and an amazing approach on the stories so far.

-Grimgar underrated here. Definitely top-5. -Konosuba is also top-5, but I'm amazed it's so popular among non Japanese speakers. There's so much that just doesn't come across in either the sub or dub. -As much as I liked Mushoku Tensei, I'd hesitate recommending it to anyone not fully submerged in anime depravity due to all the creepy pedo vibes - something veteran anime fans seem to grow numb to over time.

As a long time overlord LN reader I'm telling you, the holy kingdom arc is overlord at its best, particularly in terms of worldbuilding and big moments, so the best is yet to come (as long as the adaptation isn't mediocre).

i watched and still watch every sao media that comes out even if they are new, retcons and everything because the budget and animation they put on those produces spectaculars scenes even if they are just trying to get back the good ol days

I agree with Mushoku Tensei and Re: Zero being top 2 for Grant

Re:Zero and Mushoku Tensei are my favorite isekai. Tbh they’re some of my favorite series in general. They got me to read again. Lol They’re some other good ones though.

ascendance of a bookworm is one of my all time favorite isekais, but for it to really get to its peak potential you have to read the LN.

Gate is literally one of my favorite anime to watch, mainly cuz its one of the first handful of shows my brother showed me, so its got some nostalgia to it for me.

Re:zero is definitely my personal favourite anime. Yes, there is quite a heavy competition among Re:zero, Mushoku Tensei, and Slime as the top spot, but Re:zero definitely takes the cake for me. And, with Season 3 announced and that it will be adapting both Arc 5 and Arc 6, I am certain it will satisfy both types of people - People looking for some really hyped action , and also one of the best narration/thriller.

sonny boy is like a lot of anime i watched as a kid. i didn't understand the premise at first, but when i revisited it, everything fell into place, almost as if i was missing some crucial piece of wisdom the first time around

Grimgar became one of my favorites, I was personally hurt when I found out they aren’t making more

At first, I understood the rankings. The genuine effort and knowledge needed to even recognize some of the obscure animes that often get overlooked is truly admirable. I had genuine respect for the man who made the list. And then I saw Mushoku Tensei. I was LITERALLY ready to throw hands with that guy the moment I saw it that miserably low. I. Was. Pissed.

SAO was my first anime and it will always hold a special place in my heart. All these years later I still think about that empty feeling I had after finishing s1 and thinking that it was over. Very few anime can do that for me now

12 Kingdom should be one of the best "isekai" anime out there. It's so beautiful. Glad to hear someone still remembers it, definitely deserved 2nd season SAO appear and Garnt just laughed, masterpiece xD Yoko Kanno is being forgotten, oh no

Oh an anime i found like randomly i dont even know how because i have seen it absolutely no where, i loved it so much and it was such a good one, summer time rendering. So many good climaxes, you literally have no idea what will happen each episode, but in a really good way. It takes a good anime to have me stop and judt sit there for a while after the last episode. Summer time rendering is one of them, i suggest it big time

Oh snap! I found a box set of Magic Girl Rayearth in a goodwill once in middle school and used to watch it on this tiny box tv with a built in player because I'd already watched the DBZ Majin Buu series half a dozen times.

Honestly I probably would have put Tanya the Evil higher on my list. Which I know sounds insane considering most people probably forgot about it after a while, but something about it really hit a cord with me. It's a genuinely great show about war and resources set in a WW1.5 fantasy world and I love it. Caught up with all the light novels and I am SO EXCITED for season 2.

the fact kyo kara maoh was on that list makes me so happy. kkm is such an underrated gem i love it so much and its chaos

Digimon is my favorite isekai and favorite anime in general! Please give it another watch Garnt, and tell us your thoughts! 🥰 I also visited Odaiba recently on 8/1 and attended the digifes! Also got to see Taichi and Hikari’s apartment complex since a fan I met lives there!!

22:55 Knew it

Honestly Moonlit fantasy is up there for me. It has a similar concept to tensura but I enjoyed it more.

I'm happy that I'm not the only one who missed So I'm a Spider, So What? on that list^^ There isn't enough mystery-isekai, these genres blend together really well.

Ascendance of a Bookworm is literally my top #1 isekai, and unlike Moshuko Tensei, it doesn't have a creepy guy as the MC. Even if I personally don't like MT cause I didn't like the MC, I do agree that they are good world building, though Ascendance of a Bookworm goes hard on the world building but stays more slice of life than TM (action does happen, but I doubt it'll ever happen unless it gets 10 seasons). There are so many nuances and small things that are shown and not told through exposition. And yeah, it should be higher (as a series, the animation quality wasn't as good as I wanted it to be, but it wasn't an action show, so I know why the budget was small). The novel though, is top tier.

The arc after Rimuru became Demon Lord got little dry and I agree with you Sensei. But I enjoyed it from the arc where they went to war with the Great Empire. 😅

Kumo getting a mention from garnt is enough to make me happy. The earlier sections of that ln and manga are underrated as heck.

Youjo Senki is by far my favorite isekai. It's my personal favorite anime and I agree that it doesn't do the military strategy and politics that are ever-so-present in the light novel, it does do a great job at depicting the more intense moments in the story. Having it at 9th is good. I think that if Garnt rewatched it today he would gain an newfound appreciation for what Youjo Senki did with Tanya and its side characters. EDIT: Honestly I don't even disagree with the NGNL take. It's my favorite light novel, but as an anime it wasn't nearly as good as anything else that came out. The disconnect you felt between the first season and the movie is natural, it's because while the movie is a prequel, it was several volumes of the light novel later, so it has the tone of Kamiya-sensei later on in the series. It might be the hardest take to ever understand for an anime-only watcher, but NGNL has the most realistic psychology for its main characters of any novel. They have a very real affliction and the way it transformed their personalities over their lives is extremely relatable to people with similar afflictions.

"Re:Zero and Mushoku Tensei top 2" 24:10 Yes, definitely, agreed

The one that I would add, and I don't think enough people have watched is "trapped in a dating sim" I remember watching the episode in parts once a day because I didn't wanna wait a week for the next one 😂

Every series from Isekai Quartet is on the list. Actually glad about it. Rezero best Isekai as of now and since Season 3 got announced, its getting more hype. And theres 1 part where I want to drop Rezero so badly, the pathetic part in Ruler selection Arc. Until Subaru redeems himself. Season 2 was so damn good, every single part of it is just amazing ngl.

I read the manga to 'Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun' when the first chapter came out and completly watched the anime. Both were done quite well. Maybe it's because of my reading speed, but there are times when I think the anime is a little slow, but I can't really say they are adding needless content. Sometimes I also wonder if the anime would have been even more popular if it was released between 2010 and 2016.

Re:Zero season 3 is going to be freaking peek!!!!

One thing about tensei I don’t think people talk about enough is how they use silence. Scenes where there is no music, no ambient noise, yet the emotions conveyed through the characters speaks the loudest.

Re:zero S1 Is Just The Prologue Of Re:zero, Its Just The Taste Of The Iceburg But Re:zero S2 Is What Makes You Stay, It What Makes You Truly Invested Into The World And Characters.

tbh, i was actually saddened that "So I'm a Spider, so what?" did not make it on that list. Also, "Welcome to Demon King Academy, Iruma-kun!" is actually worth watching. I personally found it very enjoyable and a fun anime. I was also surprised that "The Misfit of Demon King Academy" wasn't on the list either.

mushoku tensei was my favorite show of all time and i am sad that it is over. i went through all 14 and a half hours almost straight binging it. now i have to wait 2 months till season 2 part 2

As I started this video, I suddenly thought, "Damn, Visions of Escaflowne was actually an isekai" and lo, it was on the list. I rewatched it a couple years back and personally think it's still really good. If I had to put a top 3 out, it'd be, in no particular order, Mushoku Tensei, Re: Zero, and out of left field, Eminence in Shadows. Honorable mentions would be Konosuba, Log Horizon, So I'm a Spider, Reincarnated as a Slime, and SAO, even with the weird shit people complain about from season 1/2. "So I'm a Spider" should probably replace Eminence in my top 3 but I just enjoyed that show so much, mostly because of how ridiculous it was.

Magic Knight Rayehart was such an amazing show. Missed some amazing isekai on the list, like the Kumo one as Gigguk said and my first isekai, Dot Hack, which has some amazing games on Steam by the way. Top One for me is absolutely Mushoku Tensei by far. Not a bad list though.

The big problem I've seen with most of the modern isekai is that the story either has an overarching narrative arc that doesn't end and it's just a treadmill with no real progression or they do have a complete narrative arc from beginning to end with a proper ending but it came after the story went on for too long on that treadmill. For example, Slime has hit the former in that the main conflict of establishing the monster nation has been resolved, his enemies have either been converted or neutralized, and he himself is now among one of the most powerful existences in the world. But it's still going past all that, the treadmill continues. Shield Hero on the other hand, hits the latter. It has an ending in the LNs, but it takes so long to get to it after being on the narrative treadmill that the story as a whole suffers for it.

3:05 yep, I remembe back when I would look for Isekai it wasn't even called Isekai, the most common 'genre tag' for it was 'Stranger in a Strange World'.

I was wondering if Twelve Kingdoms was going to be in there and lo and behold it is, from before 'Isekai' got the reputation it's earned over the last decade. You can definitely feel the difference from then (+earlier) and now how world building has evolved and though some aspects of visual story telling has moved forwards (Moshuko Tensei being the prime example), there's a sense of craft, love and wonder that simply has not carried over. I think that's why people have such a hard nostalgic grip on Inuyasha, because even if it's aged less well than other shows, the slow paced unironic melodrama did carry weight in a way that isn't performed or shown today and it has its advantage in being rooted in/inspired by Japanese tales and mythology. It doesn't mean it outshines all new shows, only that it had a quality that isn't often replicated anymore. All media today is in many ways a shadow of previous industries. Even if they improve visuals and sound, the content is in many ways weaker. Look at the extremely highly praised Baldur's Gate 3, in about a year people will realize that it's overhyped to an extreme, because it's not a great game, it's just a lot better than most of what we get in a lower bar world. Music is at a low point and movies/shows are so political that even people in favor of what's shown on screen are getting tired of it. Take something mainstream like My Hero Academia and Demon Slayer, both which have fantastic qualities that provoke genuine emotion, but despite those things we can all broadly agree that they in many ways *feel* "mid". Bottom line is that it's not just nostalgia, it's a change of spiritual/mental life quality in the modern world for the worse and the art reflects the lack of values and principles that used to be more important. Going "plus ultra" and "me and my family" is all well and good, but almost no one today knows how to hold a principle that isn't painfully obviously beneficial.

Grimgars, art, soundtrack, and fights are so freaking beautiful. Its no. 1 for me. .hack//Sign really does feel like a late 90s-early 00s JRPG where the visuals are dated, and the emotions/story are told through the soundtrack. Blue Seed is what Inuyasha would have been if Inuyasha had a plot and knew when to end.

Eminence definetly deserve a top 10 placement

Theres a Korean manga called "The beginning after the end" and its basically everything you liked about the something or other bookworm thing (i suck at remembering names😅) i would recommend that you try to read it. dont think its been animated yet though😢

its nice to see someone else knowing about drifters. its definitivily worth a watch, its not similar to the mediocre isekais so many people dislike.

I'm so glad to see 12 kingdoms here. I really liked a plot and character development and still rewatch it from time to time

24:25 I'm so surprised you actually gave Spider-kun a honorable mention. That show is so underrated.

The issue with Overlord, as with other isekai on this list. such as Gate for example, is that the anime format really does not support the same level of world-building, thoughts of the side characters and all the little intricate details. Of course the same can be said about any adaptation, but isekai have the unfortunate fate of relying on that a lot for their story and style, which means animated versions suffer more. Mushoku Tensei was one case where the authors did something great with the still images of the world often replacing the opening theme, thus building up that extra little bit of the background lore for anyone interested in to observe.

My first isekai anime was MAR: Marchen Awakens Romance and I've never found a single person who remembers watching that anime. But I absolutely have a soft spot in my heart for it, especially for how fucking cool all the different powers were. It's basically one gigantic tournament arc with all sorts of creative uses of magic spells and equipment. I'm sure there's a lot that I have blocked from my memory about it, but I still love it

I agree with you about Kumo desu ga, Nani ka? I found the split viewpoint/growth of the Kumoko vs the rest to be quite interesting.

An isekai missing from the list i think is really good is Marchen Awakens Romance. Combines isekai and tournament anime.

Anyone remember Kiba? Old niche show I really enjoyed and technically was Isekai too. That one definitely would make my list.

Ngl, that was an ACTUALLY good list, i'm impressed! Someone who knows his stuff, when I saw *Log Horizon* and *Hataraku Maou-sama* as the header of the article, I already knew I was in for a good list, and I feel like this guy is around my age and we have pretty similar tastes, because he mentioned so many oldschool isekais I love, and for me, Log Horizon is definitely my #1! Also, I have no idea why he didn't include *Those Who Hunt Elves* !! It is the OG Konosuba (and the OP Slaps to this day)! Speaking of OP/OST, I didn't really like the *Escaflowne* series, but the movie was a masterpiece and still holds up (and the animation is amazing)! And the OST?! OH BOY!! Don't get me started! It was the first time I actually paid attention to an OST and made me buy the CD, before that i was one of those guys that couldn't care less about OSTs! Yoko Kanno outdid herself there, it's my favorite OST of hers BY FAR, followed by the Macross Plus one.

to anyone who likes mushoku tensie i would recommend to read the beginning after the end (tbate) its very similar to mushoku tensie in beginning but it just gets better and better its like solo leveling and mushoku tensie combined in harmony

Love the editor's note for Vision of Escaflowne that says "Her finacee"

YES! 12 kingdoms! This was one of the first shows I ever watched and everyone else is always like... Huh? I am so happy it made the list !

OH Magic Knight Rayearth was one of my formative shows as an anime fan. Between it and Slayers it was a huge shift from stuff like Captain Tsubasa and Dragon Ball I was used to. Girls were cute, story was fun, tragedy was delicious and it had giant robots. Good times, good times. Regarding SAO my main beef was always how much wasted potential it had. There was this whole world to explore, the situation all these people were in but it was completely ignored in favor of some crappy romance.

I love your opinion on slime, mushoku, and re zero, especially SPIDER WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Yahhh... spider one also should be on it. Loved it.

Ascendance of a Bookworm is such a good isekai I found by the manga then swap to the light novel, and world building and stories are so good I am so excited to see and read more of it my Top 3 with mushoku tensei and Youjo Senki

Omg I've been literally looking for some isekai to watch when this video was released. Thanks dad

I was hooked on devil is a part timer started reading It's L.N, and was so disappointed at it's ending

Man, I want to see Garnt’s thoughts on Isekai Ojiisan. That one rocketed up to top 5 isekai for me, especially when reading the manga too

As someone whos read both rezero and mushoku, rezero is just better and its not even close for me. Literally everything is just better

Well done list indeed. I would however like to add Eminence in Shadow, Mondaiji-tachi ga Isekai and El-Hazard as well into the list

Am happy to see rezero this high i kept seeing people calling it mid and even trash some times i thought everyone hated it and i had shit tastes🎉

Mushoku tensei is not only the best in isekai but it's also one of the best world building series in anime. I dont know about the light novel finished btw.😅

The spider isekai is actually really good and I would HIGHLY recommend reading the LNs, especially considering the last novel is coming out in a few months

sonny boy is genuinely the most artistic show to come out in probably decades. masterpiece of media